New residents wanted: Would you move to this remote Scottish island?

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A remote Scottish island has launched a tourism campaign in an attempt to double its visitor numbers – and attract new residents.

The island of Stronsay, off the west coast of mainland Orkney, has a population of 349 and currently welcomes just 600 visitors per year.

Single-track road on StronsayCredit:
Getty

On a new website launched by Stronsay’s local community group, the island is described as having “a tight-knit community with a rich social and cultural life underpinned by a sense of place, freedom and self-sufficiency that many city dwellers frustrated with the frenetic pace of modern life can only dream about”.

Puffins outnumber people around these partsCredit:
SACHIN POLASSERY

The island, accessible by boat or plane from nearby Kirkwall, has a number of natural attractions including the Vat of Kirbister, one of the finest rock arches in Orkney. Stronsay is also popular among cyclists for its flat terrain and traffic-free roads, and bird-watchers will find bountiful colonies on the cliffs at Lamb Ness and Lamb Head.

There’s historical interest surrounding the island, too. A pair of flint arrowheads uncovered in 2007 are believed to be between 10,000 and 12,000 years old; if this is confirmed, these tools would be among the oldest prehistoric artefacts found anywhere in Scotland.

Recent news stories about tourism in Scotland haven’t been so positive. In August 2017, local police on the Isle of Skye released a statement warning people not to come if they hadn't booked accommodation, following ongoing complaints of overcrowding on the picturesque Hebridean island.

The popular North Coast 500 driving route has also raised safety concerns, with reports of traffic build-ups and an increasing number of car accidents on the single-track roads that cross the North Highland region.

Houses lining Rothiesholm Sand on StronsayCredit:
PA

But Diane Riley-Moore, a member of Stronsay’s local community group, is optimistic about the impact of the initiative. “We hope that by increasing tourism we will be able to create additional jobs on the island that will bring more residents, whether retirees or young families,” she told The Times.

“We have a small, brilliantly equipped and resourced school, fantastic healthcare, a safe crime-free environment. The community is active and friendly, but everyone has the freedom to be as involved or as solitary as you please. It is a truly unique place to live.”

The community is now seeking support for its campaign from Visit Scotland and Visit Orkney.